This invention relates generally to apparatus for supporting a vehicle in an elevated position and is particularly directed to a vehicle support used in conjunction with a jack for engaging and supporting a wheel of the vehicle in an elevated position for performing maintenance or repairs on the vehicle.
Jacks for lifting a vehicle come in various forms, with the conventional mechanical, ratchet-type jack and the hydraulic jack being the most common. The lifting element of the jack is typically placed beneath and engages a structural member of the vehicle""s undercarriage, such as its axle or a frame member. A jack is typically used for minor maintenance or repair which can be accomplished in a relatively short period. For more extensive maintenance/repairs requiring the mechanic to be positioned beneath the vehicle, other support structures are typically employed of a stronger, more permanent nature than a jack. Perhaps the most common of these latter type of vehicle support structures is the jack stand. As in the case of the jack itself, a jack stand is placed beneath and engages a structural member of the vehicle""s undercarriage. By engaging and supporting the vehicle by means of its undercarriage, these types of vehicle support devices restrict access to the lower portion of the vehicle. If the component of the vehicle""s undercarriage is large, the use of this type of undercarriage support device may require repositioning of the support device during the maintenance/repair, thus complicating and extending the time required for the maintenance/repair. In addition, this type of vehicle support device also requires the worker to position the device beneath the vehicle while the vehicle is supported by a jack. This increases the risk to the worker because of the possibility of jack failure.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned limitations of the prior art by providing a stable, high strength, adjustable-height support device for a vehicle which is used in conjunction with a jack for safely elevating and supporting a vehicle for maintenance or repair. The vehicle is first lifted by the jack and one of its tires is positioned on the vehicle support device. The jack is then removed from the vehicle, placed in engagement with the inventive support device and the vehicle is further elevated by the jack as it is supported by the device. The device is then locked in position, either manually of automatically, to stable and securely support the vehicle, with the jack then removed.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to support a vehicle in a stable, secure manner while allowing for unrestricted access to the underside of the vehicle for maintenance or repair.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle support which is adapted for use with a jack to provide stable support for the vehicle for maintenance or repair over a wide range of heights.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle support for engaging and supporting a wheel of a vehicle which is self-locking, stable and of high strength, and which is easily raised or lowered using a conventional jack.
The present invention contemplates a multi-position vehicle support apparatus comprising a lower platform disposed on a support surface such as the ground or a floor; plural extendible support members attached to and extending upward from the lower platform in a generally vertical manner; an upper platform disposed above the lower platform and attached to respective upper end portions of the plural extendible support members, the upper platform adapted to receive a wheel of a vehicle for supporting the vehicle in a first upraised position, the upper platform including a lower portion adapted to receive a jack for raising the upper platform and the wheel disposed thereon to a second, higher upraised position; and plural locking mechanisms each coupled to a respective extendible support member for locking the extendible support members in fixed relative position for supporting the vehicle at the second, higher upraised position.